The insect eggshell is a multifunctional structure with several important roles, including generating an entry point for sperm via the micropyle before oviposition, serving as an oviposition substrate attachment surface, and functioning as a protective layer during embryo development. Eggshell proteins play major roles in eggshell tanning and hardening following oviposition and provide molecular cues that define dorsal–ventral axis formation. Precise eggshell formation during ovarian follicle maturation is critical for normal embryo development and the synthesis of a defective eggshell often gives rise to inviable embryos. Therefore, simple and accurate methods for identifying eggshell proteins will facilitate our understanding of the molecular pathways regulating eggshell formation and the mechanisms underlying normal embryo development. This protocol describes how to isolate and enrich eggshells from mature oocytes of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes and how to extract their eggshell proteins for liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) proteomic analysis. Although this methodology was developed for studying mosquito eggshells, it may be applicable to eggs from a variety of insects. Mosquitoes are ideal model organisms for this study as their ovarian follicle development and eggshell formation are meticulously regulated by blood feeding and their follicles develop synchronously throughout oogenesis in a time-dependent manner.

In insects, oocyte resorption (oosorption) or follicular atresia is one of the key physiological processes and evolutionary strategies used to optimize reproductive fitness. Mosquitoes are ideal model organisms for studying egg maturation in arthropods, as their follicle development is initiated only following the ingestion of a blood meal, followed by a carefully orchestrated series of hormonally regulated events leading to egg maturation. A cohort of approximately 100 follicles per mosquito ovary begin developing synchronously. However, a significant fraction of follicles ultimately undergo apoptosis and oosorption, especially when available resources from the blood meal are limited. Therefore, simple, rapid, and reliable techniques to accurately evaluate follicular atresia are necessary to understand mechanisms underlying follicle development in insects. This protocol describes how to detect apoptotic follicle cells within the Aedes aegypti mosquito ovaries using a commercially available fluorescent-labeled inhibitor of caspases (FLICA). Caspases are key players in animal apoptosis. In this assay, the FLICA reagent enters the intracellular compartment of follicles in dissected mosquito ovaries and covalently binds to active caspases. The bound reagent remains within the cell and its fluorescent signal can be observed by confocal microscopy. Although this method was specifically developed for visualizing apoptotic ovarian follicles during Ae. aegypti mosquito egg development, it should be applicable to other mosquito tissues that undergo caspase-mediated program cell death in a time-dependent manner.

By raising her son to be curious about the natural world, this mother helped shape the trajectory of the National Museum of Natural History

In a new biopic starring Kate Winslet, Miller's many lives—as an artist, model, muse, cook and war correspondent—need little embellishment

Fifty years ago, on October 5, 1974, David Kunst completed the first verified circumnavigation of the globe on foot. Along the way, he met Princess Grace of Monaco, raised money for UNICEF and lost a brother to bandits

During and after the Civil War, inventive illustrations allowed Democrats and Republicans to turn American ballots into powerful propaganda

When the U.S. Army massacred a Lakota village at Blue Water, dozens of plundered artifacts ended up in the Smithsonian. The unraveling of this long-buried atrocity is forging a path toward reconciliation

In the Jim Crow South, activists became martyrs at the hands of white racists, all for the just cause of using the vote to fight for equality and freedom

Families of Norton Elementary School won’t be seeing their kids return anytime soon. Repairs are going to take longer than expected and students are expected to be back in the school by the start of the next school year.

An opioid replacement program in downtown Fredericton will continue to operate at the River Stone Recovery Centre until March 2025 after it got a one-year extension from Health Canada, despite increased opposition to the clinic.

A Fredericton judge suggested a joint sentencing proposal Tuesday was too lenient in the case of a former peace officer who left a loaded gun in the house while his children were home.

The University of Regina Rams knock off their provincial rivals, the University of Saskatchewan Huskies to win their second ever Hardy Cup championship. An emotional Rams head coach, Mark McConkey talks about how his team was able to overcome a rough regular season and win the title.

CBC News reporter Sarah Law reports from Duluth, Minn., early Wednesday after Donald Trump defeated Kamala Harris to secure his second term as U.S. president.

Hospice Northwest Services is inviting people to visit its third annual photography exhibit, "A Personal Lens on Grief." Here's what the project in Thunder Bay, Ont., entails, and why staff say it's important to find creative ways to express loss.

Buenos Aires, Argentina :: Logos Hope's crew joins Youth With A Mission to show God's love to elderly people.

The City of Charlottetown is honouring veterans with three freshly painted crosswalks near the cenotaph where Remembrance Day ceremonies will be held on Monday.

The P.E.I. Woodlot Owners Association is encouraging its members to boost the biodiversity of their woods with different varieties of trees and shrubs. As CBC's Nancy Russell reports, the goal is to provide habitat for endangered species and protect the forests from future disasters like post-tropical storm Fiona.

In the pouring rain in downtown Charlottetown, hundreds gathered to pay their respects to veterans and remember the fallen.

On a cold, wet and grey November morning, Islanders gathered with umbrellas in hand around the cenotaph in downtown Charlottetown.

With P.E.I's only full-time blood oncologist leaving at the end of November, Health P.E.I. was planning to transfer his patients to Dr. Philip Champion. Now Champion says he intends to retire in the spring.

A 22-year-old man from British Columbia has been charged on P.E.I. after hundreds of grams of fentanyl and cocaine were seized in Charlottetown on Saturday night.

Some business owners in Charlottetown have made suggestions for increasing the city’s housing supply, but not everyone is happy with their recommendations when it comes to rental properties.

Steven Myers, who has been Prince Edward Island's housing minister for just over a month, says the Community Outreach Centre will remain at its current location on Charlottetown's Park Street whether city councillors like it or not.

U.S. president-elect Donald Trump has promised sweeping global tariffs in his next term, but the Canadian Steel Producers Association remains confident that the industry can come out unscathed.

A 16-year-old girl is recovering in an Ottawa hospital after suffering injuries in what her family describes as a brutal attack allegedly committed by her ex-boyfriend, who's now in custody and facing charges like attempted murder. 

Over the weekend, RCMP says officers searched for answers in the death of the toddler, knocking door-to-door on Saturday in Ashern and the surrounding communities of Gypsumville as they canvassed for information that may shed light on the timeline surrounding the child's death.

City will wait for legal advice, staff report before voting early next year to avoid potential rights violations. While some people in the community argue Hamilton doesn't have enough shelter beds to justifiably remove encampments, others say they feel unsafe in their homes and unable to access parks.

Three weeks after the death of another beluga whale at Marineland, the Ontario government is speaking publicly about its ongoing investigation of the park, saying water troubles are under control after a recent investment.

Chair Rick Petrella and trustees Dan Dignard, Bill Chopp and Mark Watson of the Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board were to Italy between July 8 and 15 to buy $100,000 in custom artwork for two new high schools. It's among trips by Ontario school boards that have come under scrutiny for the way public money is spent.

A 43-year-old man is dead after being shot by police at a west-end Hamilton apartment building Saturday, in an incident which also sent an officer to hospital, Ontario's police watchdog says. 

Bobby Smyrniotis, shut out in five previous nominations, finally has a Coach of the Year Award to go with his four Canadian Premier League titles.

There have been three separate reports of pellet gun attacks in the past seven days in Guelph, Ont. Police have made an arrest in one case and continue to investigate the other two.

It was only the second time the Saskatchewan Huskies and the Regina Rams have met in the Hardy Cup championship game. This time it was the Rams coming out on top 19-14. Huskies head coach Scott Flory says there were too many turnovers and too many plays left on the field after a hard fought game.

The final election results are in for the 2024 Saskatchewan election, which received a higher vote turnout than 2020. The NDP's April ChiefCalf won Saskatoon-Westview. And Saskatchewan Party’s Ken Cheveldayoff was re-elected in Saskatoon-Willowgrove.

One week after the lockout began at B.C.'s ports, the federal labour minister is again urging the employers and the union, back to the table.

Health officials say it’s the right time to get your seasonal flu and COVID-19 vaccines as levels of both viruses rise in Ottawa. The CBC’s Kimberley Molina reports.

The Pinecrest Queensway and Somerset West health centres are aiming to get a slice of $370 million of provincial funding to operate centres focused on addictions recovery and links to supportive housing.

OC Transpo is short $120 million for next year, and Wednesday's draft budget will shed light on who can expect to pay the bill.

Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) say one person is dead after a Saturday afternoon single-vehicle collision in Essex County involving a motorcycle.

A group of residential school survivors and their supporters are asking the federal government to reverse what they're calling a funding cut and come up with more money to help find the unmarked graves of students who went to these institutions.

A jury has found a Naramata, B.C., man guilty on two counts of second-degree murder in the deaths of two brothers. Wade Cudmore, 35, was one of two men accused in the May 2021 drug deal killings of Kamloops, B.C., brothers Erick and Carlo Fryer.

A handful of voting stations were temporarily closed due to power outages on Saturday morning during the final day of B.C.’s provincial election, while the only station in Dease Lake was fully closed because an election official had travel difficulties.

Justin Kirkland scored the decisive goal in the sixth round of the shootout Tuesday night as the Calgary Flames prevailed 4-3 over the Pittsburgh Penguins.